U.S. patent application number 11/276614 was filed with the patent office on 2006-08-17 for novel transporter protein.
Invention is credited to Peter Henderson, Shunichi Suzuki, Kenzo Yokozeki.
Application Number | 20060183190 11/276614 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34415622 |
Filed Date | 2006-08-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060183190 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Suzuki; Shunichi ; et
al. |
August 17, 2006 |
NOVEL TRANSPORTER PROTEIN
Abstract
A novel protein which has an activity to transport hydantoin
compounds is described, as well as a recombinant expressing this
transporter protein. From Microbacterium liquefaciens strain
AJ3912, a novel gene was discovered to encode a protein which is
able to transport hydantoin compounds. A recombinant with an
excellent ability to uptake hydantoin compounds is obtained by
introducing and expressing the novel gene, called mhp, using gene
recombination techniques.
Inventors: |
Suzuki; Shunichi;
(Kawasaki-shi, JP) ; Yokozeki; Kenzo;
(Kawasaki-shi, JP) ; Henderson; Peter; (Leeds,
GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CERMAK & KENEALY LLP;ACS LLC
515 EAST BRADDOCK ROAD
SUITE B
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
34415622 |
Appl. No.: |
11/276614 |
Filed: |
March 8, 2006 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/JP04/13066 |
Sep 8, 2004 |
|
|
|
11276614 |
Mar 8, 2006 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
435/69.1 ;
435/252.33; 435/488; 530/350; 536/23.7 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C07K 14/195
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
435/069.1 ;
530/350; 435/252.33; 435/488; 536/023.7 |
International
Class: |
C07K 14/195 20060101
C07K014/195; C07H 21/04 20060101 C07H021/04; C12P 21/06 20060101
C12P021/06; C12N 15/74 20060101 C12N015/74 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 8, 2003 |
JP |
2003-315306 |
Claims
1. A protein comprising hydantoin-transporter activity for a
5-substituted hydantoin compound, except allantoin.
2. The protein as described in claim 1, wherein said 5-substituted
hydantoin compound comprises: ##STR4## wherein R is selected from
the group consisting of a C.sub.1-8 straight or branched alkyl
group, a C.sub.2-8 straight or branched alkylene group, an aryl
group or aralkyl group having 20 or less carbon atoms, a C.sub.1-8
mercaptoalkyl group, and a C.sub.2-8 alkylthioalkyl group.
3. The protein as described in claim 2, wherein R is an aralkyl
group having 20 or less carbon atoms.
4. The protein as described in claim 3, wherein R is an
indolylmethyl group or a benzyl group.
5. The protein as described in claim 1, wherein the protein is from
a microorganism belonging to the genus Microbacterium.
6. The protein as described in claim 5, wherein the protein is from
Microbacterium liquefaciens.
7. The protein as described in claim 6, wherein the protein is from
Microbacterium liquefaciens AJ3912.
8. A protein having hydantoin-transporter activity, wherein the
amino acid sequence of the protein is selected from the group
consisting of: (A) an amino acid sequence comprising the sequence
set forth in SEQ ID No. 2, and (B) an amino acid sequence wherein,
one or several amino acids are substituted, deleted, inserted,
added and/or inverted in the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ
ID No. 2.
9. The protein as described in claim 8, wherein the protein
transports a hydantoin compound selected from the group consisting
of 5-indolylmethyl hydantoin, 5-benzyl hydantoin, and combinations
thereof.
10. The protein as described in claim 8, wherein said
hydantoin-transporter activity is selective for the L-isomer of a
5-substituted hydantoin compound.
11. A DNA encoding a protein having hydantoin-transporter activity,
wherein the protein is selected from the group consisting of: (A)
an amino acid sequence comprising the sequence set forth in SEQ ID
No. 2, and (B) an amino acid sequence wherein one or several amino
acids are substituted, deleted, inserted, added and/or inverted in
the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID No. 2.
12. A DNA encoding a protein having a hydantoin-transporter
activity, wherein the DNA is selected from the group consisting of:
(a) a DNA sequence comprising the sequence set forth in SEQ ID No.
1, and (b) a DNA sequence which hybridizes under stringent
conditions with a DNA comprising a DNA sequence which is
complementary to the DNA sequence set forth in SEQ ID No. 1.
13. A a vector comprising the DNA as described in claim 11.
14. The vector as described in claim 13, wherein the vector is
selected from the group consisting of pUC, pTTQ, and derivatives
thereof.
15. A cell which is transformed by the vector as described in claim
13.
16. The cell as described in claim 15, wherein the cell is
Escherichia coli.
17. The cell as described in claim 16, wherein the Escherichia coli
is E. coli BLR.
18. A vector comprising the DNA as described in claim 12.
19. The vector as described in claim 18, wherein the vector is
selected from the group consisting of pUC, pTTQ, and derivatives
thereof.
20. A cell which is transformed by the vector as described in claim
18.
21. The cell as described in claim 20, wherein the cell is
Escherichia coli.
22. The cell as described in claim 21, wherein the Escherichia coli
is E. coli BLR.
23. A method of producing an amino acid comprising: a) cultivating
the cell of claim 15 in a culture medium, and b) collecting the
amino acid from the medium or the cell.
24. A method of producing an amino acid comprising: a) cultivating
the cell of claim 20 in a culture medium, and b) collecting the
amino acid from the medium or the cell.
Description
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn.119(a) to JP2003-315306, filed Sep. 8, 2003, and under 35
U.S.C. .sctn.120 to PCT/JP2004/13066, filed Sep. 8, 2004, the
entireties of which are incorporated by reference. The Sequence
Listing on Compact Disk filed herewith is also hereby incorporated
by reference in its entirety (File Name: US-278 Seq List; File
Size: 24 KB; Date Created: Mar. 8, 2006).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a novel transporter protein
which has a transporter activity for a hydantoin compound.
[0004] 2. Brief Description of the Related Art
[0005] One of the known methods for producing amino acids using an
enzyme is to asymmetrically decompose a 5-substituted hydantoin
compound, which is inexpensive to chemically synthesize, to an
optically active amino acid. This method for producing optically
active amino acids from the 5-substituted hydantoin compound has a
widespread importance in preparing medicines, chemical products,
food additives, and the like.
[0006] The 5-substituted hydantoin compound is converted to an
amino acid by a hydrolysis reaction using enzymes (A) and (B) as
shown in the following Reaction Formula (I).
[0007] (A) An enzyme which catalyzes a hydrolytic reaction of the
5-substituted hydantoin compound to produce an N-carbamylamino acid
(hydantoinase, hereinafter referred to as `HHase`).
[0008] (B) An enzyme which catalyzes a hydrolytic reaction of the
produced N-carbamylamino acid to produce an optically active amino
acid (N-carbamylamino acid hydrolase, hereinafter referred to as
`CHase`. Generally, carbamylamino acid hydrolase may be also
referred to as carbamylase).
[0009] To produce an optically active amino acid from a
5-substituted hydantoin compound, an optically specific enzyme may
be used, such as (A) hydantoinase and (B) N-carbamylamino acid
hydrolase, as follows. ##STR1##
[0010] Known methods for producing an optically active amino acid
from a 5-substituted hydantoin compound typically use a microbial
enzyme. Other known methods use a combination of a microbial enzyme
and a specific chemical reaction. A method for producing amino
acids on a large industrial scale using a microorganism or a
transformant producing the above-described enzymes (A) and (B) is
commonly used. However, in these methods, most of the enzymes which
catalyze the reaction are in the cell. Thus, if a substrate has a
poor membrane permeability, it cannot reach the enzyme in the cell,
which may cause a problem in that the 5-substituted hydantoin
compound cannot be effectively converted into the optically active
amino acid. To resolve this problem, the cells need to be disrupted
before the reaction to solubilize the enzyme. However, disrupting
cells in industrial production requires is complicated.
Furthermore, insoluble substances which are generated by the
disrupting process possiby may prohibit product recovery after the
reaction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] It is an object of the present invention to provide a method
for improving the membrane permeability of a substrate. To this
end, a microorganism or a transformant which produces the
above-described enzymes (A) and (B) may be imparted with an ability
to express a transporter for the hydantoin compound (the substrate)
by a genetic recombination. The transporter is a type of protein
which participates in the transportation of substances. Most of the
transporters exist on the biomembrane as a membrane protein which
transport specific substances across the membrane. Since the
transporters are involved in such a transfer of substances, the
properties of the cell relating to transportation of the substances
can be modified by modifying the expression of transporter genes.
In other words, in a bioconversion process using intact cells and
substrates with poor membrane permeability, introducing a hydantoin
transporter protein may result in an efficient uptake of the
substrate.
[0012] However, handling of membrane proteins (purification,
function analysis, large-scale expression and the like) is
difficult compared to soluble proteins. Therefore, research to
identify such transporters has not advanced compared to that for
the soluble proteins, and many genes encoding transporters are
still unknown.
[0013] If an amino acid sequence and a base sequence of the
transporter for the hydantoin compound can be determined and
expressed by genetic recombination, the 5-substituted hydantoin
compound could be effectively taken up into the cell. Thereby, a
disruption or bacteriolysis treatment process to extract the
enzymes from the cell would become unnecessary, and consequently
the production process could be simplified.
[0014] There have been no reports about transporters for
5-substituted hydantoin compounds, except for one on the
transporter of allantoin which has the structure of
5-ureido-hydantoin (Sumrada, et al., supra). Therefore, a novel
hydantoin transporter is needed in the production process of an
optically active amino acid from hydantoin.
[0015] Genes encoding a transporter homologue protein in the
vicinity of genes encoding a hydantoinase, carbamoylase, or
hydantoin racemase have been disclosed. However, the functions
thereof have not been determined as yet.
[0016] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide
a novel transporter protein having a transporter activity for a
hydantoin compound, and a transformant in which a hydantoin
transporter DNA is expressed.
[0017] The present inventors have conducted extensive studies to
resolve the above-described problems. As a result, a transporter
homologue (MHP) of unknown function has been found among the gene
family of 5-substituted hydantoin hydrolases in bacteria belonging
to the genus Microbacterium, as well as a protein with transporter
activity for the hydantoin compound.
[0018] In addition, the present inventors have constructed a
transformant having the hydantoin transporter DNA incorporated
thereinto, and determined that the transformant takes up the
hydantoin compound effectively into cells.
[0019] That is, the present invention is as follows.
[0020] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
protein comprising hydantoin-transporter activity for 5-substituted
hydantoin compounds, except allantoin.
[0021] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
the protein as described above, wherein said 5-substituted
hydantoin compound comprises the following formula (1):
##STR2##
[0022] wherein R is selected from the group consisting of a
C.sub.1-8 straight or branched alkyl group, a C.sub.2-8 straight or
branched alkylene group, an aryl group or aralkyl group having 20
or less carbon atoms, a C.sub.1-8 mercaptoalkyl group, and a
C.sub.2-8 alkylthioalkyl group.
[0023] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
the protein as described above, wherein R is an aralkyl group
having 20 or less carbon atoms.
[0024] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
the protein as described above, wherein R is an indolylmethyl group
or a benzyl group.
[0025] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
the protein as described above, wherein the protein is derived from
a microorganism belonging to the genus Microbacterium.
[0026] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
the protein as described above, wherein the protein is derived from
Microbacterium liquefaciens.
[0027] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
the protein as described above, wherein the protein is derived from
Microbacterium liquefaciens AJ3912.
[0028] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
protein having hydantoin-transporter activity, wherein the amino
acid sequence of the protein is selected from the group consisting
of:
[0029] (A) an amino acid sequence comprising the sequence set forth
in SEQ ID No. 2, and
[0030] (B) an amino acid sequence wherein, one or several amino
acids are substituted, deleted, inserted, added and/or inverted in
the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID No. 2.
[0031] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
the protein as described above, wherein the protein transports a
hydantoin compound selected from the group consisting of
5-indolylmethyl hydantoin, 5-benzyl hydantoin, and combinations
thereof.
[0032] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
the protein as described above, wherein said hydantoin-transporter
activity is selective for the L-isomer of a 5-substituted hydantoin
compound.
[0033] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
DNA encoding a protein having a hydantoin-transporter activity,
wherein the protein is selected from the group consisting of:
[0034] (A) an amino acid sequence comprising the sequence set forth
in SEQ ID No. 2, and
[0035] (B) an amino acid sequence wherein, one or several amino
acids are substituted, deleted, inserted, added and/or inverted in
the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID No. 2.
[0036] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
DNA encoding a protein having a hydantoin-transporter activity,
wherein the DNA is selected from the group consisting of:
[0037] (a) a DNA sequence comprising the sequence set forth in SEQ
ID No. 1, and
[0038] (b) a DNA sequence which hybridizes under stringent
conditions with DNA comprising a DNA sequence which is
complementary to the DNA sequence set forth in SEQ ID No. 1.
[0039] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
vector comprising the DNA as above.
[0040] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
the vector as described above, wherein the vector is selected from
the group consisting of pUC, pTTQ, and derivatives thereof.
[0041] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
cell which is transformed by the vector as described above.
[0042] It is a further object of the present invention to provide
the cell as described above, wherein the cell is Escherichia
coli.
[0043] The cell as described above, wherein the Escherichia coli is
E. coli BLR.
[0044] It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
method for producing an amino acid comprising cultivating the cell
as described above in a culture medium, and collecting the amino
acid from the medium or the cell.
[0045] The hydantoin transporter of the present invention
transports hydantoin compounds. If the transporter is present in a
biomembrane, it mediates the passage of the hydantoin compounds
through the biomembrane. Therefore, by expressing the present
hydantoin transporter with gene recombination techniques, it
becomes possible to construct a transformant which has an excellent
ability of cellular uptake of the hydantoin compounds.
[0046] Conventionally, in order to take the enzymes produced by
microorganisms out of the cells, it was necessary to solubilize the
enzymes by disrupting the cells before carrying out the reactions.
However, since the cells having the present hydantoin transporter
can uptake the substrate hydantoin compounds into the cell
efficiently, it becomes possible to perform enzymatic reactions
efficiently within the cells. Accordingly, the disruption treatment
process of the cells, which used to be necessary in the
conventional method for taking the enzyme out of the cell, is no
longer necessary.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0047] FIG. 1 shows the relative location of the gene family of
hydantoin hydrolase for Microbacterium liquefaciens strain
AJ3912.
[0048] FIG. 2 illustrates the structure of plasmid pTTQ18.
[0049] FIG. 3 illustrates the results of (A) SDS-PAGE and (B)
Western blotting.
[0050] FIG. 4A illustrates the CD spectrum of MHPH.sub.6.
[0051] FIG. 4B illustrates the temperature stability of
MHPH.sub.6.
[0052] FIG. 5 illustrates the results of experiments measuring
5-substitued hydantoin uptake by intact cells of E. coli
BLR/pSHP11H.
[0053] FIG. 6 illustrates the effect of sodium and DNP on L-IMH
uptake by E. coli BLR/pSHP11H.
[0054] FIG. 7 illustrates the pH-dependency of L-IMH uptake by E.
coli BLR/pSHP11H.
[0055] FIG. 8 illustrates the results of the screening of
substrates for MHPH.sub.6.
[0056] FIG. 9 illustrates the results of the optical specificity of
MHPH.sub.6 for substrate recognition.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0057] The present invention will be explained in detail with
reference to the drawings, in the following order:
[0058] [I] Hydantoin transporter.
[0059] (1) DNA encoding the hydantoin transporter,
[0060] (2) Properties of the hydantoin transporter,
[0061] [II] Preparation of the transformant in which the hydantoin
transporter DNA is expressed.
[0062] [I] Hydantoin Transporter
[0063] A gene mhp, the function of which was unknown, was found
within the gene family encoding hydantoin racemase (HRase),
hydantoinase (HHase) and carbamylase (CHase), which act on a
5-substituted hydantoin compound in Microbacterium liquefaciens AJ
3912. It was determined that a protein encoded by the gene has a
transporter activity for the hydantoin compound.
[0064] FIG. 1 shows the relative location for the genes which are
members of the gene family of hydantoin hydrolases of
Microbacterium liquefaciens AJ3912. In FIG. 1, each gene is shown
by an arrow which indicates the direction of translation. As shown
in FIG. 1, the mhp gene, which encodes MHP, is upstream of mhr,
mhh, and mch. These three downstream genes encode hydantoin
racemase, hydantoinase and carbamylase, respectively, and all of
which recognize the 5-substituted hydantoin as a substrate. Thus,
it appears that these genes form an operon in which the expression
is simultaneously regulated by the same promoter.
[0065] The hydantoin transporter of the present invention is a
protein which transports the hydantoin compound. The transporter of
the present invention is a membrane protein. If the transporter is
present in a biomembrane, it mediates the passage of the hydantoin
compounds through the biomembrane. The transporter of the present
invention is assumed to transport the hydantoin compound by active
transport, and thereby facilitates uptake of the hydantoin compound
into the cells.
[0066] The hydantoin transporter of the present invention transfers
a chemical substance which is different, in a strict sense, from an
enzyme which catalyzes a chemical reaction. However, a transporter
has similarities with such an enzyme. For example, the transporter
has substrate specificity, i.e., it acts on specific chemical
substances and transports them, and it can also be antagonized by
analogues of the substrate. Therefore, chemical substances
transported by the transporter are referred to as a "substrate",
and the activity for transporting the hydantoin compound is
referred to as a "hydantoin-transporter activity" in the present
specification.
[0067] The activity of the hydantoin transporter can be measured by
an uptake assay using intact cells. The uptake assay using intact
cells may be carried out in accordance with the method of West, and
Henderson (I. C. West (1970) Lactose transport coupled to proton
movements in Escherichia coli, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 41:
655-661; P. J. F. Henderson and A. J. S. Macpherson (1986), Assay,
genetics, proteins, and reconstitution of proton-linked galactose,
arabinose, and xylose transport systems of Escherichia coli,
Methods Enzymol. 125: 387-429).
[0068] Specifically, the uptake reaction may be carried out by
adding an RI-labelled substrate (.sup.3H-BH (benzyl hydantoin),
.sup.3H-IMH (indolylmethyl hydantoin)) to a suspension of the cells
that express the hydantoin transporter. After initiating the
reaction, sampling may be conducted at time intervals. Immediately
after sampling, each aliquot may be collected by a filter of 0.45
.mu.m pore size (preincubated in a washing liquid of 150 mM KCl, 5
mM MES (pH 6.6)) and washed thoroughly by the rinsing liquid.
Thereafter, by measuring radioactivity remaining on the filter with
a liquid scintillation counter, the substrate uptaken into the
cells is quantified, and the hydantoin-transporter activity can be
determined.
[0069] Weak activity can be distinguished from the background by
using a control whereby cells are incubated under an uninduced
condition in which the transporter gene is not expressed.
[0070] In the present invention, existence of the transporter
activity is defined by the recognition of the substrate uptake into
the cells in a solution for the reaction containing 25 .mu.M
substrate, at pH 6.6 at 25.degree. C. After the initiation of the
substrate uptake into the cells, the amount of the substrate in the
cells usually continues to increase. However, after the lapse of a
certain period of time, the substrate concentration in the cells
reaches a saturation concentration and the uptake speed becomes
equilibrated with the discharge speed. In the present invention,
the amount of the substrate uptake observed in the saturation state
is preferably 0.01 nmol/mg or higher, more preferably 0.1 nmol/mg
or higher, per weight of the cells.
[0071] The DNA encoding the hydantoin transporter of the present
invention is shown in SEQ ID No. 1. In addition, the amino acid
sequence of the hydantoin transporter encoded by the base sequence
of SEQ ID No. 1, is shown in SEQ ID No. 2.
[0072] (1) DNA Encoding the Hydantoin Transporter
[0073] The transporter gene of the present invention has the DNA
sequence of SEQ ID No. 1, and can be isolated from the chromosomal
DNA of Microbacterium liquefaciens AJ 3912 as described above. The
DNA sequence of SEQ ID No. 1 is 82% homologous with a transporter
homologue protein, HyuP, of unknown function encoded by a gene from
the family of hydantoin hydrolase in Arthrobacter aurescens DSM
3747 (A. Wiese, C. Syldatk, R. Mattes, and J. Altenbuchner (2001)
Organization of genes responsible for the stereospecific conversion
of hydantoins to .alpha.-amino acids in Arthrobacter aurescens
DSM3747, Arch. Microbiol. 176: 187-196). The DNA of SEQ ID No. 1
also is 31% homologous with a transporter homologue protein, ORF5
protein (P_ORF5), (K. Watabe, T. Ishikawa, Y. Mukohara, and H.
Nakamura (1992) Cloning and sequencing of the genes involved in the
conversion of 5-substituted hydantoins to the corresponding L-amino
acid from the native plasmid of Pseudomonas sp. NS671, J.
Bacteriol. 174: 962-969) of unknown function encoded by a gene from
the family of hydantoin hydrolase genes in Pseudomonas sp.
NS671.
[0074] Homology herein is calculated by setting parameters as
defaults using the gene analysis software "FASTA"
(Wisconsin-Madison Univ., USA).
[0075] A method for obtaining the DNA encoding the hydantoin
transporter will now be explained.
[0076] The base sequence of the DNA is deduced on the basis of the
amino acid sequence of the hydantoin transporter (SEQ ID No. 2)
which was identified by the present inventors. Universal codons are
used to deduce the base sequence of the DNA.
[0077] Based on the deduced DNA sequence, a DNA molecule of about
30 base pairs is synthesized. The method for synthesizing the DNA
molecule is disclosed in Tetrahedron Letters, 22: 1859 (1981). In
addition, the DNA molecule may be synthesized using a commercial
synthesizer (Applied Biosystems Co., Ltd.). The DNA molecule may be
used as a probe for isolating a full-length DNA encoding the
hydantoin transporter from the chromosome gene library of hydantoin
transporter-producing microorganisms. Alternatively, the DNA
molecule may be used as a primer when the DNA encoding the
transporter of the present invention is amplified by PCR. An
example of the primer is shown in SEQ ID Nos. 5 and 6. Since the
DNA obtained by PCR amplification may not include the full-length
region of the DNA encoding the transporter, the DNA amplified by
PCR may be used as a probe for isolating the full-length DNA from
the chromosome gene library of the transporter-producing
microorganisms.
[0078] The hydantoin transporter-producing microorganisms which are
sources for obtaining the hydantoin transporter DNA may include any
bacteria belonging to the genus Microbacterium, preferably
Microbacterium liquefaciens, and more preferably Microbacterium
liquefaciens AJ3912.
[0079] Microbacterium liquefaciens AJ3912 strain has been deposited
as follows:
[0080] Microbacterium liquefaciens AJ3912 strain
[0081] (i) Deposit No.: FERM BP-7643 (formerly FERM-P3133, changed
on Jun. 27, 2001)
[0082] (ii) Deposit date: Jun. 27, 1975
[0083] (iii) Depository authority: International Patent Organism
Depositary, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and
Technology (Tsukuba Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki,
Japan)
[0084] The PCR procedure is described, for example, in White, T. J.
et al., Trends Genet. 5, 185 (1989). The method for constructing
the chromosomal DNA, and the method for isolating the desired DNA
molecule from the gene library using a DNA molecule as a probe, are
described, for example, in Molecular Cloning, 2nd edition, Cold
Spring Harbor press (1989).
[0085] The method for determining the base sequence of the DNA
encoding the isolated hydantoin transporter is described, for
example, in A Practical Guide to Molecular Cloning, John Wiley
& Sons, Inc. (1985). In addition, the base sequence can be
determined by using a DNA sequencer of Applied Biosystems Co.,
Ltd.
[0086] The DNA encoding the protein having the transporter activity
for a hydantoin compound is not restricted to the DNA shown in SEQ
ID No. 1. That is, differences in the base sequences are observed
among bacteria belonging to the genus Microbacterium producing the
hydantoin transporters, depending on species and strains.
[0087] In addition, the DNA of the present invention is not limited
to the DNA encoding the isolated hydantoin transporter, but also of
course includes the DNA obtained by artificially mutating a DNA
encoding the hydantoin transporter that had been isolated from the
chromosomal DNA of the hydantoin transporter-producing
microorganism, as long as such a mutated DNA encodes the hydantoin
transporter. Examples of the methods that are frequently used for
such an artificial mutation may include a method of introducing
site-specific mutation which is described in Method in Enzymol.,
154 (1987).
[0088] The DNA of the present invention may also include a DNA
which hybridizes under a stringent condition with a DNA consisting
of a base sequence complimentary to the base sequence described in
SEQ ID No. 1, and encodes the protein having the
hydantoin-transporter activity. "Stringent condition" herein means
conditions under which so-called a specific hybrid is formed, and a
non-specific hybrid is not formed. An example thereof may be the
condition under which DNAs having high homology, for example 50% or
higher, more preferably 80% or higher, further preferably 90% or
higher, particularly more preferably, 95% or higher hybridize to
each other, but DNA having homology lower than that level does not
hybridize to each other. The conditions may also be defined by
hybridization conditions at salt concentrations corresponding to
0.1.times.SSC, 0.1% SDS at 37.degree. C., preferably 0.1.times.SSC,
0.1% SDS at 60.degree. C., and further preferably 0.1.times.SSC,
0.1% SDS at 65.degree. C., which are ordinary washing conditions of
Southern hybridization. In addition, "hydantoin-transporter
activity" herein means a transporter activity for at least one kind
of hydantoin compound. However, the protein encoded by the base
sequence which hybridizes under the stringent condition with the
base sequence complimentary to the base sequence described in SEQ
ID No. 1 may desirably have 10% or higher, preferably 30% or
higher, more preferably 50% or higher, particularly more preferably
70% or higher of the hydantoin-transporter activity as compared
with that of the protein having the amino acid sequence described
in SEQ ID No. 2 under the conditions of 25.degree. C. and pH 6.6
for 5-benzyl hydantoin.
[0089] Furthermore, the DNA of the present invention may also
include the DNA encoding a protein which is substantially the same
as the hydantoin transporter encoded by the DNA described in SEQ ID
No. 1. That is, the DNA of the present invention may also
include:
[0090] (a) the DNA encoding a protein consisting of the amino acid
sequence described in SEQ ID No. 2; and
[0091] (b) the DNA encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence
that has substitution, deletion, insertion, or inversion of one or
several amino acid residues in the amino acid sequence described in
SEQ ID No. 2, and having the hydantoin-transporter activity.
[0092] "One or several" herein means the range of numbers of the
amino acid residues which results in no major damage on the
stereo-structure and the transporter activity of the protein, and
may specifically be 1 to 50, preferably 1 to 30, and more
preferably 1 to 10. "Hydantoin-transporter activity" herein means a
transporter activity for at least one kind of the hydantoin
compounds. However, the amino acid sequence having substitution,
deletion, insertion, or inversion of one or several amino acid
residues in the amino acid sequence described in SEQ ID No. 2 may
desirably have 10% or higher, preferably 30% or higher, more
preferably 50% or higher, and particularly more preferably 70% or
higher hydantoin-transporter activity as compared with that of the
protein having the amino acid sequence described in SEQ ID No. 2
under the condition of 25.degree. C. and pH 6.6 for 5-benzyl
hydantoin.
[0093] (2) Properties of the Hydantoin Transporter
[0094] The hydantoin transporter of the present invention typically
has the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID No. 2 as clarified by the
aforementioned gene isolation and analysis. However, the present
invention may also include a protein having the amino acid sequence
that has substitution, deletion, insertion, addition or inversion
of one or several amino acid residues in the amino acid sequence
described in SEQ ID No. 2, and having the hydantoin-transporter
activity.
[0095] That is, the hydantoin transporter of the present invention
also includes
[0096] (a) a protein consisting of the amino acid sequence
described in SEQ ID No. 2
[0097] (b) a protein having an amino acid sequence that has
substitution, deletion, insertion, or inversion of one or several
amino acid residues in the amino acid sequence described in SEQ ID
No. 2, and having the hydantoin-transporter activity.
[0098] "One or several" and "hydantoin-transporter activity" herein
are as described in the Item (1) "DNA encoding hydantoin
transporter".
[0099] The hydantoin transporter of the present invention is a
transporter which recognizes a 5-substituted hydantoin compound,
except allantoin, as a substrate. The hydantoin transporter of the
present invention may have transporter activity for a 5-substituted
hydantoin compound that has a strong hydrophobic substituent on the
5-position carbon of the hydantoin ring, and more specifically, a
5-substituted hydantoin compound represented by the following
formula (1). ##STR3##
[0100] wherein R is a C.sub.1-8 straight or branched alkyl group, a
C.sub.2-8 straight or branched alkylene group, an aryl group or
aralkyl group having 20 or less carbon atoms, a C.sub.1-8
mercaptoalkyl group, or a C.sub.2-8 alkylthioalkyl group.
[0101] In the above-described formula (1), R is preferably a
C.sub.3-8 branched alkyl group, an aralkyl group having 20 or less
carbon atoms, mercaptomethyl group or methyl thioethyl group, more
preferably an aralkyl group having 20 or less carbon atoms, and
particularly preferably indolylmethyl group or benzyl group. When R
is indolylmethyl group or benzyl group, the 5-substituted hydantoin
compound of the above-described Formula (1) is 5-indolylmethyl
hydantoin or 5-benzyl hydantoin, respectively.
[0102] Subsequently, the enzymological and chemical properties of
the hydantoin transporter of the present invention derived from
Microbacterium liquefaciens AJ 3912 strain (hereinafter, it may be
abbreviated as MHP) are described below.
[0103] It has been confirmed that MHP of the present invention may
be expressed in the membrane fraction in Escherichia coli. It is
assumed that MHP is localized specifically to the internal
membrane. MHP of the present invention has a function of mediating
passage of the hydantoin compound through the membrane when the MHP
is present in the biomembrane.
[0104] MHP of the present invention has a transporter activity for
a hydantoin compound, and especially has an excellent transporter
activity for 5-indolylmethyl hydantoin and 5-benzyl hydantoin. In
addition, MHP of the present invention has an optical selectivity
for recognizing a substrate, and acts selectively on the L-isomer
of the hydantoin compound. "Acting selectively on the L-isomer"
herein means that the reaction with the L-isomer prevails when
coexisting with the R-isomer. Specifically, if the amount of the
L-isomer which is taken up into the cells is greater than that of
the R-isomer when measured using the above-described intact cell
uptake assay, the transporter is regarded as L-isomer
selective.
[0105] MHP of the present invention may be active in a range of pH
4 to 10. The optimum pH thereof is in the neutral range of pH 6 to
8. MHP of the present invention is stable at the temperature of
30.degree. C. or lower, and especially 25.degree. C. or lower.
[0106] [II] Preparation of a Transformant in which the Hydantoin
Transporter DNA is Expressed
[0107] Subsequently, the method for producing the transformant of
the present invention in which the hydantoin transporter DNA is
expressed will be explained. There are many known examples of
producing useful proteins, such as enzymes and physiologically
active substances, using recombinant DNA techniques. By using such
a recombinant DNA technique, useful proteins that are naturally
present in a trace amount can be produced in large quantities.
[0108] The scheme of the production process for obtaining the
transformant of the present invention will be explained. At first,
the DNA encoding the hydantoin transporter of the present invention
is prepared. Subsequently, the prepared hydantoin transporter DNA
is inserted into a vector DNA to construct a recombinant DNA, and a
cell is transformed with the recombinant DNA vector to construct a
transformant. The transformant is then incubated in the culture
medium to express the hydantoin transporter DNA.
[0109] The DNA to be inserted into the vector DNA may be any DNA as
long as introduction of the DNA results in expression of the
hydantoin transporter DNA of the present invention.
[0110] Examples of the hydantoin transporter genes to be inserted
into the vector DNA may include:
[0111] (a) a DNA including the base sequence described in SEQ ID
No. 1,
[0112] (b) a DNA which hybridizes under the stringent condition
with a DNA including the base sequence which is complementary to
the base sequence described in SEQ ID No. 1, and encodes a protein
having the hydantoin-transporter activity,
[0113] (c) a DNA encoding a protein including the amino acid
sequence described in SEQ ID No. 2, and
[0114] (d) a DNA encoding a protein having an amino acid sequence
that has substitution, deletion, insertion, or inversion of one or
several amino acid residues in the amino acid sequence described in
SEQ ID No. 2 and having the hydantoin-transporter activity.
[0115] In the transformant of the present invention, it is
preferable that the hydantoin transporter is expressed as a
membrane protein. However, in the production process, the hydantoin
transporter may exist anywhere other than in the biomembrane. That
is, there are a variety of possible locations of the transporter
depending on the use thereof, such as a soluble protein, an
inclusion body of protein formed by protein folding, and so on. In
this case, however, the hydantoin transporter has to be solubilized
with a solubilizer after the expression of the hydantoin
transporter, and the solubilized transporter further has to be
reconstituted on the membrane which is an obstacle to hydantoin
transportation. The solubilizers may include surfactants such as
n-Dodecyl-.beta.-D-maltoside (DDM), n-octyl-.beta.-D-glucoside (OG)
and the like.
[0116] When the hydantoin transporter DNA of the present invention
is expressed using recombinant DNA techniques, host cells to be
transformed may include bacteria cells, actinomycetes cells, yeast
cells, fungi cells, plant cells, animal cells, insect cells, and
the like. Among these, the bacteria cells for which host-vector
systems have been developed may include bacteria of the genus
Escherichia, bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas, bacteria of the
genus Corynebacterium, bacteria of the genus Bacillus, and the
like. The preferable host is Escherichia coli, since there are many
reports of producing proteins on a large scale using Escherichia
coli. A method for producing the transformant using Escherichia
coli will be explained hereinbelow.
[0117] Promoters to be used for expressing the DNA that encodes the
hydantoin transporter may include promoters typically used in
producing heterogeneous proteins in Escherichia coli. Examples
thereof may include potent promoters such as T7 promoter, trp
promoter, lac promoter, tac promoter, PL promoter, and the
like.
[0118] In order to increase the production amount, it is preferable
to further connect a terminator, i.e. a transcription termination
sequence, downstream of the hydantoin transporter gene. The
terminator may include the T7 terminator, fd phage terminator, T4
terminator, the terminator of tetracycline-resistant gene, the
terminator of Escherichia coli trpA gene, and the like.
[0119] The vector for introducing the gene encoding hydantoin
transporter into Escherichia coli may preferably be a multi-copy
type. Examples thereof may include a plasmid having a replication
origin derived from Col E1, such as pUC plasmid, pBR322 plasmid,
and derivatives thereof. "Derivative" herein means a plasmid which
is modified by substitution, deletion, insertion, addition or
inversion of bases and the like. As used herein, modification may
include mutation treatment by mutating agents or UV radiation and
the like, or modification by natural mutation and the like. In the
present invention, pUC plasmid is preferred, and, pTTQ plasmid
(pTTQ18 vector and the like) which is induced from pUC plasmid is
especially preferred.
[0120] For facilitating selection of the transformants, the vector
may preferably have a marker such as an ampicillin-resistant gene
and the like. Such a plasmid is commercially available as
expression vector having a potent promoter (pUC series (Takara
Shuzo Co., Ltd.), pPROK series (Clontech), pKK233-2 (Clontech) and
the like).
[0121] The recombinant DNA may be obtained by ligating the
promoter, the gene encoding the hydantoin transporter, and the
terminator in this order to give a DNA fragment, and further
inserting the same into the vector DNA.
[0122] A host cell may be transformed with the recombinant DNA, and
this transformant may be cultivated for producing the hydantoin
transporter of the present invention. The transformed host may
include strains which are typically used in the expression of
heterogeneous genes. Escherichia coli BLR strain is especially
preferred. A method for conducting transformation and a method for
selecting the transformant are described in, e.g., Molecular
Cloning, 2nd edition, Cold Spring Harbor press (1989).
[0123] The culture medium for cultivating the transformant may
include a culture medium which is typically used for cultivating
Escherichia coli, such as M9-casamino acid medium, LB medium and
the like. The conditions for cultivation and induction of the
production may be appropriately selected depending on kind of
marker of the employed vector, promoter, host microorganism, and
the like.
[0124] When the DNA described in SEQ ID No. 1 is used as the DNA
encoding the transporter, the transporter having the amino acid
sequence described in SEQ ID No. 2 is produced.
[0125] Cultivation of the present recombinant cell may be performed
either by liquid cultivation or solid cultivation. The industrially
advantageous method may be an aerated submerged stirring
cultivation. Nutrition sources for the nutrition culture medium may
include a carbon source, a nitrogen source, an inorganic salt, and
other micronutrient sources which are conventionally used in
microorganism incubation. Any nutrition source that the employed
strain can utilize can be used.
[0126] An aerobic condition may be achieved by aeration.
Cultivating temperature may be in any range in which the
microorganisms grow and the hydantoin transporter is produced.
Therefore, the cultivation temperature is not strictly limited, but
usually 10 to 50.degree. C., and preferably 30 to 40.degree. C.
Cultivation time is varied depending on other cultivation
conditions. For example, the cultivation time may be adjusted so
that a maximum production of the hydantoin transporter takes place.
The cultivation may be performed usually for 5 hours to 7 days, and
preferably for 10 hours to 3 days or so.
[0127] Furthermore, the transformant of the present invention is
preferably a cell which is capable of producing an enzyme that
catalyzes the reaction to produce useful compounds from the
hydantoin compound, and of accumulating at least a part of the
enzyme within the cell. Such a transformant takes up the hydantoin
compound into the cell by the hydantoin transporter, and produces
the useful compounds from the hydantoin compound by the enzyme in
the cell. In other words, the inside of the transformant cell is
the location where the substrate encounters the enzyme and the
enzymological reaction takes place.
[0128] Such a transformant may be constructed by introducing the
present hydantoin transporter DNA into a host cell which produces
an enzyme catalyzing the reaction for producing useful compounds
from the hydantoin compound. Alternatively, a DNA encoding an
enzyme catalyzing the reaction for producing useful compounds from
the hydantoin compound may be prepared and then introduced into a
host cell such as Escherichia coli, together with the hydantoin
transporter DNA of the present invention, and co-expressed. To
ligate the DNA encoding such an enzyme to the gene encoding the
transporter for the aforementioned transformation, reading frames
of the codons should correspond to each other. This may be done by
linking at a suitable restriction enzyme site, or by using
synthesized DNA having a suitable sequence.
[0129] The enzyme catalyzing the reaction for producing useful
compounds from the hydantoin compound is not particularly limited
and any known enzyme may be used. Particularly preferable enzymes
may include a hydantoinase (HHase). That is, the transformant of
the present invention is preferably a cell which produces HHase in
addition to the hydantoin transporter of the present invention.
Such a transformant effectively uptakes the 5-substituted hydantoin
compound from the outside of the cell into the cell, and hydrolyzes
the 5-substituted hydantoin compound by HHase which is produced
therein by the cell itself to produce N-carbamylamino acid. The
produced N-carbamylamino acid may further be hydrolyzed by
carbamylase (CHase) and the like, to produce an amino acid.
Therefore, the transformant may suitably be used for producing the
amino acid from the 5-substituted hydantoin compound.
[0130] HHase produced by the transformant may be an optically
specific HHase or an optically non-specific HHase. "Optically
specific" herein means specificity to either one of the L-isomer or
R-isomer. Specifically, it refers to a highly optical selectivity
substantially specific to only one isomer as the substrate, and not
to the other isomer.
[0131] It is known that the optically non-specific HHase exists in,
for example, Microbacterium liquefaciens AJ3912 (US Patent
Application 2003-109013) which is the source for obtaining the
hydantoin transporter of the present invention, and also in
Arthrobacter aurescens (J. Biotechnol. Vol. 61, page 1, 1998).
[0132] On the other hand, the optically specific HHase can
specifically produce an optically active N-carbamyl-L-amino acid or
N-carbamyl-D-amino acid. In this case, a carbamylase (CHase) may be
used subsequently to produce the optically active amino acid.
Alternatively, a chemical hydrolysis treatment with nitrous acid
may be conducted for producing a high yield of the optically active
amino acid while maintaining the optical activity.
[0133] For example, it is known that bacteria of the genus Bacillus
has thermo-resistant D-HHase enzymes which may be used for
producing N-carbamyl-D-amino acid. Examples of such an enzyme may
include HHase of Bacillus stearothermophilus ATCC 31195 (Appl.
Microbiol. Biotechnol. Vol. 43, page 270, 1995) and the like.
[0134] Bacillus stearothermophilus ATCC 31195
[0135] (i) Name and address of Depository authority
[0136] Name: American Type Culture Collection
[0137] Address: 12301 Parklawn Drive, Rockville, Md. 20852, United
States of America, and
[0138] (ii) Deposit No.: ATCC 31195
[0139] It is known that L-HHase which is specific to the L-isomer
of the hydantoin compound exists in, for example, Bacillus sp. AJ
12299 (JP-A-1988-24894).
[0140] Bacillus sp. AJ 12299 strain
[0141] (i) Name and address of Depository authority
[0142] Name: International Patent Organism Depositary, National
Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
[0143] Address: Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
(Zip code: 305-8566)
[0144] (ii) Deposit date: Jul. 5, 1986
[0145] (iii) Deposit No.: FERM BP-7646 (formerly FERM P-8837,
transferred to International Patent Organism Depositary on Jun. 27,
2001)
[0146] If an optically specific HHase is used to hydrolyze the
5-substituted hydantoin compound, an enantiomer which is not a
substrate remains unreacted. That is, if D-HHase is used, the
L-isomer of the hydantoin compound remains unreacted, and if
L-HHase is used, the D-isomer of the hydantoin compound remains
unreacted.
[0147] To efficiently racemize the non-substrate enantiomer to
convert such an enantiomer to the substrate enantiomer in order to
achieve effective racemization, the transformant of the present
invention may preferably be a cell that additionally produces a
5-substituted hydantoin racemase (HRase). That is, the transformant
of the present invention may preferably produce two enzymes that
are HHase and HRase, in addition to the hydantoin transporter of
the present invention. Expression of the hydantoin transporter,
HHase and HRase in a single cell may enable an efficient production
of the optically active N-carbamylamino acid with an efficient
racemization of the non-substrate enantiomer for converting the
same to the substrate enantiomer.
[0148] Such HRase exists in, for example, Microbacterium
liquefaciens AJ3912 (JP-A-2002-330784) which is the source for
obtaining the hydantoin transporter of the present invention, and
also in Flavobacterium sp. AJ11199 (FERM-P4229) (Japanese Patent
Appln. Publication No. 2003-210176), Pasteurella pneumotropica
AJ11221 (FERM-P4348) (Japanese Patent Appln. Publication No.
2003-210177) and the like. Pasteurella pneumotropica AJ11221 was
originally deposited as Moraxella nonliquefaciens, but as a result
of re-identification, it was identified as a microorganism
belonging to Pasteurella pneumotropica.
[0149] Flavobacterium sp. AJ11199
[0150] (i) Name and address of Depository authority
[0151] Name: International Patent Organism Depositary, National
Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
[0152] Address: Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
(Zip code: 305-8566)
[0153] (ii) Deposit date: May 1, 1981
[0154] (iii) Deposit No.: FERM BP-8063 (formerly FERM P-4229,
transferred to International Patent Organism Depositary on May 30,
2002)
[0155] Pasteurella pneumotropica AJ 11221 strain
[0156] (i) Name and address of Depository authority
[0157] Name: International Patent Organism Depositary, National
Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
[0158] Address: Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
(Zip code: 305-8566)
[0159] (ii) Deposit date: May 1, 1981
[0160] (iii) Deposit No.: FERM BP-8064 (formerly FERM P-4348,
transferred to International Patent Organism Depositary on May 30,
2002)
[0161] In order to produce N-carbamylamino acid from the
5-substituted hydantoin compound and subsequently hydrolyze
N-carbamylamino acid in the transformant cell for producing the
optically active amino acid, it is preferable that the transformant
of the present invention additionally produces carbamylase (CHase).
That is, the transformant of the present invention may preferably
be the cell producing two enzymes of HHase and CHase, or three
enzymes of HHase, HRase, and CHase in addition to the hydantoin
transporter of the present invention.
[0162] The transformant wherein three of the hydantoin transporter,
HHase, and CHase, or four of hydantoin transporter, HHase, HRase,
and CHase are expressed in a single cell can effectively uptake the
5-substituted hydantoin compound from the outside into the cell,
and hydrolyze the 5-substituted hydantoin compound by HHase which
is produced therein by the cell itself, to produce N-carbamylamino
acid. The N-carbamylamino acid thus produced may subsequently be
hydrolyzed in the cell by CHase which is produced by the cell
itself, to produce the objective amino acid.
[0163] Even if HHase does not have an optically specific
hydrolyzing activity, the produced amino acid may become a D- or L-
optically active isomer if CHase has an optical specificity. In
this case, an unreacted enantiomer of N-carbamylamino acid may
remain in the reaction system. That is, if CHase specifically
hydrolyzes N-carbamyl-L-amino acid to produce L-amino acid,
N-carbamyl-D-amino acid may remain. If CHase produces a D-amino
acid, N-carbamyl-L-amino acid may remain in the reaction system.
However, in this case, HHase slightly catalyzes a reverse reaction.
That is, HHase slightly catalyzes dehydrocondensation of the
remaining unreacted enantiomer of the N-carbamylamino acid to
produce the 5-substituted hydantoin compound. Therefore, even if
HHase does not have optically-specific hydrolysis activity, the
optically active amino acid can be produced with a high yield by
the combination of the above-described HRase with the hydantoin
transporter, Hhase, and optically specific CHase.
[0164] It is known that CHase which specifically hydrolyzes the
D-isomer of N-carbamylamino acid, exists in, for example,
Agrobacterium sp. AJ 11220 (JP-B-1981-003034). Agrobacterium sp. AJ
11220 was originally deposited as Pseudomonas sp. AJ 11220, but as
a result of re-identification, it was identified as a microorganism
belonging to Agrobacterium sp.
[0165] Agrobacterium sp. AJ 11220 strain
[0166] (i) Name and address of Depository authority
[0167] Name: International Patent Organism Depositary, National
Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
[0168] Address: Central 6, 1-1-1 Higashi, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
(Zip code: 305-8566)
[0169] (ii) Deposit date: Dec. 20, 1977
[0170] (iii) Deposit No.: FERM BP-7645 (formerly FERM P-4347,
transferred to International Patent Organism Depositary on Jun. 27,
2001)
[0171] Furthermore, it is known that CHase which specifically
hydrolyzes L-isomer of N-carbamylamino acid exists in
Microbacterium liquefaciens AJ3912 (JP-A-2002-330784) which is the
source for obtaining the hydantoin transporter of the present
invention, and also in Bacillus sp. AJ12299 that has been described
above with regard to L-HHase.
[0172] In the production of the amino acid from the 5-substituted
hydantoin compound using the transformant which produces the
present hydantoin transporter with HHase, HRase, CHase and the
like, a reaction liquid is prepared so as to contain the
5-substituted hydantoin compound as well as the cultured liquid of
the transformant, an isolated cell or a washed cell. The reaction
liquid may further contain nutrients which are required for growth
of the transformant such as a carbon source, a nitrogen source, an
inorganic ion and the like. Addition of organic micronutrients such
as vitamins, amino acids and the like may bring about desired
results in most of cases. For carrying out the reaction, the
reaction liquid may be stirred or left stand at appropriate
temperature of 20 to 30.degree. C. and pH of 4 to 10 for 8 hours to
5 days.
[0173] The concentration of the 5-substituted hydantoin compound as
a substrate may preferably be 1 .mu.M or higher, and more
preferably 100 .mu.M or higher. By keeping the substrate
concentration at 1 .mu.M or higher, the substrate may effectively
be uptaken into the cell of the transformant. The 5-substituted
hydantoin compound may be added fractionally, to maintain the
substrate concentration in the reaction liquid.
[0174] The amino acid produced from the 5-substituted hydantoin
compound accumulates in the transformant cells or in the reaction
liquid. The produced amino acid may be isolated and purified by any
known method.
EXAMPLES
[0175] The present invention will be described in more detail with
reference to the following non-limiting Examples.
[0176] .sup.3H-labelled 5-L-benzyl hydantoin (.sup.3H-BH, ICN) and
.sup.3H-labelled 5-L-indolylmethyl hydantoin (.sup.3H-IMH, ICN)
were used as substrates in the assay for evaluating the uptake of
the 5-substituted hydantoin. .sup.3H-BH and .sup.3H-IMH were each
synthesized from .sup.3H-L-phenylalanine or .sup.3H-L-tryptophane
and potassium cyanide. The synthesized .sup.3H-BH and .sup.3H-IMH
were preserved at -20.degree. C. The concentration of the solution
was calculated from the absorbance of the solution (BH;
.epsilon..sub.257nm=184/M/cm, IMH;
.epsilon..sub.280nm=5440/M/cm).
Example 1
Preparation of the MHP Recombinant
[0177] 1.1. Strain and Method for Cultivation
[0178] E. coli strain BLR was used for the analysis of MHP. The
genotype of the E. coli strain BLR is presented below (Table 1).
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Straits Genotype Source/Reference BLR
F.sup.-, ompT, hsdS B(r.sub.B.sup.-m.sub.B.sup.-), gal, Novagen dcm
.DELTA. (srl - recA)306::TN10
[0179] 1.2. Plasmid
[0180] Plasmid pTTQ18 was used to express the transporter. In order
to confirm expression of the transporter and to facilitate
purification, a plasmid was constructed with an RGSHis6-Tag
inserted at the C-terminal end of the transporter according to the
method described by Henderson, et al. MHP amplified by PCR was
inserted between EcoRI and PstI among the multicloning sites of
this plasmid, and the plasmid pSHP11H which expresses a protein
containing the RGSHis6-Tag at the C-terminal (MHPH.sub.6 (SEQ ID
No. 3)) was constructed and used. The E. coli strain BLR was
transformed with this plasmid to obtain the MHP-expressing strain
E. coli BLR/pSHP11H.
[0181] The structure of the expression plasmid pTTQ18 is presented
in FIG. 2. A list of the plasmids used in the present study is
presented in Table 2. The PCR primers used in the construction of
pSHP11H are presented in Table 3 (SEQ ID No. 5, 6) (For pTTQ18, see
M. J. R. Stark (1987). Multicopy expression vectors carrying the
lac repressor gene were used for regulation of high-level
expression of genes in Escherichia coli (Gene 51: 255-267), and to
insert RGSHis6 into pTTQ18 (P. J. Henderson, C. K. Hoyle and A.
Ward (2000) Expression, purification and properties of multidrug
efflux proteins, Biochem. Soc. Trans. 28: 513-517)). TABLE-US-00002
TABLE 2 Plasmids Relevant genes Reference pTTQ18 -- Stark 1987
pSHP11H mhp -RGSH6.sup.+ This work
[0182] TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Plasmids Position Primer sequences
pSHP11H 5' end CGTCAATGAATTCGACACCCATCGAAGAGGCT pSHP11H 3' end
TCCTTCTCCTGCAGGGTACTGCTTCTCGGTGGG
[0183] 1.3. Medium and Method for Cultivation
[0184] Each preserved strain was refreshed by cultivation on Luria
Bertani (LB) agar medium (if necessary, containing 0.1 mg/ml
carbenicillin) at 37.degree. C. for about 16 hr. Colonies were
isolated from the plate and were cultured in accordance with the
following method.
[0185] E. coli BLR/pSHP11H, which was isolated from the refreshed
plate, was then seed-cultured in an LB medium containing 0.1 mg/ml
carbenicillin. 5 ml of the cultured strain was inoculated into a 2
L conical flask containing 50 ml of M9 minimal medium (6 g/l
Na.sub.2HPO.sub.4, 3 g/l KH.sub.2HPO.sub.4, 1 g/l NH.sub.4Cl, 0.5
g/l NaCl, 2 mM MgSO.sub.4, 0.2 mM CaCl.sub.2) supplemented with 20
mM glycerol and 0.2% (w/v) casamino acid, and this was cultured at
37.degree. C. until the absorbance at 680 nm reached approximately
0.3 to 0.4. Isopropyl-.beta.-D-thiogalactoside (hereinafter, IPTG)
was added to the flask at 0.2 mM (the final concentration), and the
whole mixture was again cultured at 27.degree. C. on a rotary
shaker (200 rpm) for 12 hours. The cells obtained by this method
were used in the substrate-uptake assay.
Example 2
Preparation of Membrane Fraction
[0186] French pressing was performed in accordance with M. Futai
(1978) Experimental systems for the study of active transport in
bacteria, in Bacterial Transport (Rosen, B. P., ed.) pp. 7-41,
Marcel Dekker Inc., New York.
[0187] A French press manufactured by Aminco (American Instrument
Company, Illinois, USA) was used. The cultured and collected cells
were resuspended in 15 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.5) and were subjected to
the French press at 20,000 psi. Cell debris and undisrupted cells
were removed by centrifugation at 5,000 g for 20 minutes. The
supernatant was then centrifuged at 150,000 g for 60 minutes, and
the whole membrane fraction was recovered by precipitation. If
fractionation is required of the inner membrane and outer membrane,
the whole membrane fraction was resuspended in 20 mM Tris-HCl (pH
7.5), 0.5 mM EDTA and 10% glycerol (Tris-EDTA buffer), and was
subjected to a sucrose density gradient consisting of 30, 35, 40,
45, 50 and 55% (w/w) solutions, and the two fractions were
separately recovered by centrifugation at 105,000 g for 16 hours.
Both membrane fractions thus obtained were washed by repeating the
procedure of suspending in Tris-EDTA buffer and centrifuging at
150,000 g, for 60 minutes three times. The obtained solution was
split into suitable amounts of aliquots, subjected to snap-freezing
in an ethanol bath and preserved at -70.degree. C. until use.
[0188] 2.3. Expression of MHPH.sub.6
[0189] Massive expression of MHPH.sub.6 using E. coli BLR/pSHP11H
was analyzed by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting of the whole membrane
fraction prepared by French pressing after cultivation (FIG. 3,
lanes 2 and 3).
[0190] In the whole membrane fraction of E. coli BLR/pSHP11H,
expression of a protein estimated to have a molecular weight of 36
kDa, which seems to be MHP, was confirmed in the IPTG-induced
sample by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting.
Example 3
Confirmation of MHPH.sub.6 Localization, Solubilization and
Purification
[0191] 3.1. Solubilization and Purification of MHPH.sub.6
[0192] For solubilization of MHPH.sub.6,
n-dodecyl-.beta.-D-maltoside (DDM) was used as the surfactant, and
Ni-NTA Agarose (QIAGEN) was used for purification.
[0193] The inner membrane fraction prepared by the French press
method was suspended in a solubilizing buffer solution (20 mM
Tris-HCl (pH 8.0), 20 mM Imidazole (pH 8.0), 20% (v/v) glycerol,
0.3 M NaCl, 1% (w/v) DDM) to a final protein concentration of 4.6
mg/ml. The solution was moderately stirred on ice for 60 minutes
and then centrifuged at 160,000 g for 30 minutes. The supernatant
obtained by this centrifugation was taken as the solubilized
fraction. The precipitate was suspended in the an equal volume of
buffer solution as the supernatant, to obtain the non-solubilized
fraction. The solubilized fraction thus obtained was added to
Ni-NTA agarose (QIAGEN) which was previously equilibrated with a
buffer solution for washing (20 mM Tris-HCl (pH 8.0), 20 mM
Imidazole (pH 8.0), 10% (v/v) glycerol, 0.05% (w/v) DDM), and the
system was left to stand at 4.degree. C. for 3 hours. Then, the
supernatant (non-binding fraction) and the resin were separated by
centrifugation. The obtained protein-bound resin was washed with
the buffer solution for washing, and then filled onto a column.
Then, the protein bound to the resin was eluted with an eluent
buffer solution (0.2 M Imidazole (pH 8.0), 20% (v/v) glycerol,
0.05% (w/v) DDM).
[0194] 3.2. Protein Assay
[0195] The method of Schaffner and Weissman was employed (W.
Schaffner and C. Weissman (1973) A rapid, sensitive, and specific
method for the determination of protein in dilute solution, Anal.
Biochem. 56: 502-514.). BSA was used as the concentration
standard.
[0196] 3.3. SDS-PAGE
[0197] The method of Laemmli was employed for SDS-PAGE (U. K.
Laemmli (1970), Cleavage of structural proteins during the assembly
of the head of bacteriophage T4, Nature 227: 680-685.), and
Coomasie Brilliant Blue R was used to visualize the proteins after
electrophoresis. As the molecular weight markers, BSA (66 kDa),
Ovalbumin (45 kDa), Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (36
kDa), Carbonic anhydrase (29 kDa), Tripsinogen (24 kDa), Trypsin
Inhibitor (20 kDa), and .alpha.-Lactalbumin (14.2 kDa) were used
(Sigma).
[0198] 3.4. Western Blotting
[0199] The semi-drying mode was employed for protein blotting, and
PVDF membranes were used as transfer membranes. In the detection of
the RGSH.sub.6-tagged proteins, mouse anti-RGSH4 (QIAGEN) was used
as the primary antibody, and goat anti-mouse IgG (BIO-RAD) as the
secondary antibody. Chemiluminescence was adopted for
visualization. 6.times.His Protein Ladder (MW 100, 75, 50, 30, 15
kDa, QIAGEN) was used as the molecular weight marker for Western
blotting.
[0200] 3.5. Confirmation of MHPH.sub.6 Localization, Solubilization
and Purification
[0201] SDS-PAGE and Western blotting were performed on the
fractions prepared by French pressing, as well as the fractions
obtained by solubilization with DDM and purification with the
nickel-NTA column (FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B)).
[0202] From the results of E. coli BLR/pSHP11H, the whole membrane
fraction of the IPTG-induced sample, and the cytosol fraction, it
was confirmed that localization of MHPH.sub.6 in the solubilized
fraction did not occur, and that MHPH.sub.6 expression was
localized in the membrane fraction (lane 3 and lane 4 in FIGS. 3(A)
and 3(B)). Furthermore, when the whole membrane fraction was
separated into the inner and outer membrane fractions, MHPH.sub.6
was predominant in the inner membrane fraction (lane 5 and lane 6
in FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B)).
[0203] As to the sample solubilized with 1% DDM, it was confirmed
that the majority of MHPH.sub.6 was solubilized (lane 7 and lane 8
in FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B)).
[0204] MHPH.sub.6 was purified to an electrophoretically single
band by a nickel-NTA column, and was estimated to have a molecular
weight of 36 kDa by SDS-PAGE (lane 9 in FIGS. 3(A) and 3(B)).
Example 4
Analysis of the N-Terminal Amino Acid Sequence of MHPH.sub.6
[0205] 5 .mu.g of purified MHPH.sub.6 was subjected to SDS-PAGE and
blotting on a PVDF membrane. The resulting band was visualized by
Sulforodamine dyeing and was cut out and analyzed with a Protein
Sequencer. The identified sequence was MNSTPIEEAR (SEQ ID No. 7),
which is consistent with the N-terminal amino acid sequence of MHP
(MSTTPIEEAR), and the N-terminal amino acid sequence of MHPH.sub.6
expected from the base sequence substitution (At the 5'-end of ORF,
ATGTCGACGACA . . . to ATGAATTCGACA . . . ) during the construction
of the expressing vector.
[0206] The molecular weight of the expressed MHPH.sub.6 on SDS-PAGE
was 36 kDa (FIG. 3A), and this value was significantly different
from the molecular weight of 54.6 kDa calculated from the sequence.
However, from the analysis of the N-terminal amino acid sequence of
the purified MHPH.sub.6, and from Western blotting using an
anti-RGSH.sub.6 antibody confirming that the expressed protein
retains the RGSH.sub.6-tag at the C-terminal (FIG. 3B), it was
deduced that the expressed MHPH.sub.6 maintained the entire length
of the amino acid sequence described in SEQ ID No. 4. This
difference in the observed molecular weight was thought to have
occurred because the strong hydrophobicity of MHPH.sub.6 does not
allow complete denaturing even when subjected to the conditions of
SDS-PAGE, and the protein maintains a higher order structure to a
certain extent.
Example 5
Analysis of the CD Spectrum of MHPH.sub.6 and Heat Stability
[0207] 5.1. Circular Dichroism (CD) Spectroscopy
[0208] The buffer solution suspending the purified MHPH.sub.6 was
replaced by 10 mM sodium phosphate (pH 7.6) with 0.05% (w/v) DDM,
using an ultrafiltration apparatus (Centricon C50, Millipore). In
this buffer solution, the protein concentration was adjusted to 50
.mu.g/ml, and the CD spectroscopy was carried out at 10.degree. C.
(JASCO J-715 Spectropolarimeter). The measurement was performed at
a wavelength ranging from 190 to 260 nm, and the average value of
twenty measurements was taken. Furthermore, the change in the
secondary structure of MHPH.sub.6 (heat stability) was observed by
measuring the change of the CD unit value at a wavelength of 222 nm
as the temperature of the sample was varied from 10.degree.
C.-->90.degree. C.-->10.degree. C. (the temperature change
was made 10.degree. C. at a time, and the length of time at each
temperature was approximately 10 minutes).
[0209] 5.2. Analysis of the CD Spectrum of MHPH.sub.6 and
Temperature Stability
[0210] As a result of the CD spectrum analysis of the purified
MHPH.sub.6, it was determined that MHPH.sub.6 maintained the higher
order structure even after solubilization and purification (FIG.
4A). Furthermore, from the measurement of heat stability, it was
observed that the higher structure of MHPH.sub.6 began to be
destroyed at 30.degree. C. or higher and was almost completely
destroyed at 70.degree. C. (FIG. 4B). The thermal denaturation was
irreversible. After the elevation of temperature up to 90.degree.
C., the destroyed higher structure of MHPH.sub.6 was not
recoverable even if the temperature of the sample was lowered again
(FIGS. 4A and 4B).
Example 6
Uptake Assay Using Intact Cells
[0211] 6.1. Method for Assay
[0212] The methods of West (I. C. West (1970), Lactose transport
coupled to proton movements in Escherichia coli. Biochem. Biophys.
Res. Commun. 41: 655-661.) and Henderson (P. J. F. Henderson and A.
J. S. Macpherson (1986), Assay, genetics, proteins, and
reconstitution of proton-linked galactose, arabinose, and xylose
transport systems of Escherichia coli, Methods Enzymol. 125:
387-429.) were employed.
[0213] The collected cells were washed three times with 150 mM KCl,
5 mM MES (2-[N-Morpholino]ethanesulphonic acid) (pH 6.6) and were
then used in the assay. The basic reaction conditions included
uptake initiation by adding glycerol to a final concentration of 20
mM to a cell suspension having an absorbance at about A.sub.680 of
approximately 2 to 4, followed by aeration at 25.degree. C. for 3
minutes, and then addition of an RI-labelled substrate (relative RI
activity: .sup.3H-BH 107 Bq/nmol, .sup.3H-IMH 241 Bq/nmol) to a
final concentration of 25 .mu.M. After the onset of the reaction
(aeration was continued), sampling was done over time. Immediately
after the sampling, each aliquot was passed through a filter with a
pore size of 0.45 .mu.m (pre-incubated in a washing solution of 150
mM KCl and 5 mM MES (pH 6.6)) which was then washed sufficiently
with a washing solution. The radiation remaining on the filter was
measured by a liquid scintillation counter. The uptake activity was
expressed in terms of the dry cell weight that was calculated by
taking the absorbance A.sub.680=1 as the dry cell concentration of
0.68 mg/ml (Ashworth and Kornberg, 1966). Furthermore, the initial
uptake rate was calculated based on the data obtained at 15 seconds
after the addition of substrate, and expressed in terms of the
uptake amount per minute.
[0214] In the measurement of the inhibitory activity of the
inhibitor, the inhibitor was added at the time of onset of
aeration. That is, it was pre-incubated with the cells for 3
minutes prior to the substrate addition. The inhibitor used was
2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP), and the final concentration during the
reaction was 20 mM.
[0215] For varying the pH of the reaction liquid, 10 mM potassium
acetate (pH 4.0), 5 mM MES (pH 4.9, 6.1, 6.6, 7.1, 7.9), 10 mM
Tris-HCl (pH 8.0) and 10 mM glycin-NaOH (pH 10.0) were used when
appropriate.
[0216] 6.2. Uptake of the 5-Substituted Hydantoin by Intact Cells
of E. coli BLR/pSHP11H
[0217] The ability of the intact cells of E. coli BLR/pSHP11H to
uptake L-BH (open triangle, solid triangle) or L-IMH (open circle,
solid circle) was measured.
[0218] In strain E. coli BLR/pSHP11H, induced samples (solid
circle, solid triangle) resulted in higher uptake ability than the
uninduced samples (open circle, open triangle) when either L-BH or
L-IMH was used as the substrate (FIG. 5). For either of the
substrates, the uptake amount continued to increase up to 5 minutes
after the addition of the substrate, and reached 0.27 nmol/mg
(L-BH) and 0.91 nmol/mg (L-IMH). The initial uptake rates were 0.64
nmol/mg/min (L-BH) and 2.5 nmol/mg/min (L-IMH). In comparing the
two substrates, the uptake amount 5 minutes after the addition of
substrate was 3.4 times greater with L-IMH than with L-BH, and the
initial uptake rate was 3.9 times faster with L-IMH as the
substrate.
[0219] 6.3. The Effect of Sodium Ions and DNP on the L-IMH Uptake
by E. coli BLR/pSHP11H
[0220] The effect of sodium ions and DNP on the L-IMH uptake by E.
coli BLR/pSHP11H were measured (FIG. 6).
[0221] Although 10 mM of sodium ions were added to the reaction
liquid of L-IMH uptake assay, the ions did not affect the L-IMH
uptake in either the induced sample (solid triangle) or uninduced
sample (open triangle). When DNP was added, it had substantially no
effect on the L-IMH uptake in the uninduced sample (open square),
but it decreased the amount of L-IMH uptake in the induced sample
(solid square).
[0222] 6.5. pH-Dependency of L-IMH Uptake by Strain E. coli
BLR/pSHP11H
[0223] The pH of the reaction solution for L-IMH uptake by E. coli
BLR/pSHP11H was varied between pH 4.0 and 10.0, and the initial
rate of L-IMH uptake at each pH was measured (FIG. 7). As a result,
the initial uptake rate was maximal at pH 6.6 in both the induced
sample (solid circle) and uninduced sample (open circle), and the
optimum pH range for the uptake reaction for L-IMH was in the
neutral region (pH 6 to 8). As the pH deviated away from neutral,
either to the acidic or to the alkaline, the initial uptake rate
decreased, and the initial uptake rate at pH 4.0 or pH 10.0 both
decreased to approximately 10% as compared with the initial rate at
pH 6.6.
Example 7
Screening of the Substrate for MHP
[0224] 7.1. Method for Screening
[0225] 25 .mu.M of .sup.3H-L-BH was employed as the RI-labeled
substrate in the above-described reaction using intact cells, and a
reaction liquid was prepared by adding 250 .mu.M of a candidate
substrate (cold). The uptake amount of .sup.3H-L-BH after 3 minutes
from the addition thereof was compared with the amount without the
candidate substrate, to calculate the competitive inhibitory
activity of each candidate substrate against L-BH, for evaluating
the potentiality of each candidate substance as the substrate for
MHP.
[0226] 7.2. Screening for the Substrate of MHPH.sub.6
[0227] Affinity of a variety of compounds to MHPH.sub.6 was
measured based on the competitive inhibitory activity thereof
against L-BH uptake by E. coli BLR/pSHP11H, to search for
substrates for MHPH.sub.6 (FIG. 8). Among 18 candidate compounds
including cold L-BH, strong activity of competitive inhibition was
shown by the following four compounds: L-BH, D-BH, L-IMH, and
D-IMH. Weaker inhibitory activity was indicated by the addition of
5-substituted hydantoin compounds such as 5-DL-methyl hydantoin,
5-DL-isopropyl hydantoin, 5-L-isopropyl hydantoin, 5-DL-isobutyl
hydantoin, 5-L-isobutyl hydantoin, 5-DL-p-hydroxybenzyl hydantoin,
which suggest the potential activity of MHPH.sub.6 for transporting
many 5-substituted hydantoin compounds. These results suggest that
MHPH.sub.6 has a particularly strong activity for transporting
5-substituted hydantoin compounds which include aromatic amino
acids. These results also suggest that MHPH.sub.6 tends to have a
strong activity for transporting 5-substituted hydantoin compounds
which include hydrophobic amino acids. When the four compounds
showing strong inhibitive activity were added, the uptake
activities of .sup.3H-L-BH (the relative activity with respect to
when not adding any compound as 100%) were 7% (L-BH, theoretical
value 9%), 47% (D-BH), 3% (L-IMH) and 24% (D-IMH). Measurement with
L-IMH resulted in the highest inhibitory activity.
[0228] Meanwhile, the addition of allantoin did not result in any
inhibition against the uptake of L-BH by MHPH.sub.6. Therefore, it
was demonstrated that MHPH.sub.6 does not have any allantoin
transport activity, which implied that MHPH.sub.6 was a novel
transporter having a different nature from known allantoin
transporters.
[0229] 7.3. Optical Specificity of MHPH.sub.6 for Substrate
Recognition
[0230] From the results of substrate screening for competitive
inhibition against .sup.3H-L-BH uptake activity, D- and L-isomers
of BH and IMH were selected as candidate substances for the
substrate of MHPH.sub.6. Therefore, the optical specificity of
MHPH.sub.6 for these substrates were further investigated (FIG.
9).
[0231] The competitive inhibition experiments were carried out, as
for substrate screening, with a variety of substrate
concentrations. As a result, the affinity of D- and L-BH and D- and
L-IMH for MHPH.sub.6 was different from one another, and the
intensity of the affinity was in the order of L-IMH (solid
triangle), L-BH (solid circle), D-IMH (open triangle) and D-BH
(open circle) from the strongest. Assuming that .sup.3H-L-BH and
the added cold compound were under simple competitive inhibition,
the experimental results were curve-fitted. As a result, the
relative affinity for each compound was calculated to be 5.32
(L-IMH), 1.05 (L-BH, experimental value), 0.96 (D-IMH), and 0.20
(D-BH), with respect to the affinity of L-BH and MHPH.sub.6 being
1. L-IMH exhibited the highest affinity which was estimated to be
approximately 5 times greater than that of L-BH.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0232] The hydantoin transporter of the present invention is a
novel transporter for transporting hydantoin compounds. When
present in biomembranes, it mediates the passage of the hydantoin
compounds through the membranes. Thus, it becomes possible to
produce a transformant having an excellent ability of cellular
uptake of the hydantoin compounds, by expressing the hydantoin
transporter of the present invention using gene recombination
techniques.
[0233] Conventionally, in order to extract the enzymes produced by
microorganisms, it was necessary to solubilize the enzymes by
disrupting the cells before carrying out reactions. However, the
hydantoin transporter of the present invention enables an efficient
uptake of the hydantoin compounds as substrates into the cells, and
thus enables an efficient enzymatic reaction within the cells.
Accordingly, the disruption treatment process of the cells, which
was necessary in the conventional method to extract the enzyme from
the inside of cells, is no longer necessary.
[0234] The hydantoin transporter of the present invention may
suitably be used in the bioconversion process using intact cells,
for performing enzymatic reactions of hydantoin compounds as
substrates.
REFERENCES
[0235] 1. A. Wiese, C. syldatk, R. Mattes and J. Altenbuchner
(2001). Organization of genes responsible for the stereospecific
conversion of hydantoins to .alpha.-amino acids in Arthrobacter
aurescens DSM3747. Arch. Microbiol. 176: 187-196. [0236] 2. K.
Watabe, T. Ishikawa, Y. Mukohara and H Nakamura (1992). Cloning and
sequencing of the genes involved in the conversion of 5-substituted
hydantoins to the corresponding L-amino acid from the native
plasmid of Pseudomonas sp. NS671. J. Bacteriol. 174: 962-969.
[0237] 3. B. Wilms, A Wiese, C. Syldatk, R. Mattes (2001).
Development of an Escherichia coli whole cell biocatalyst for the
production of L-amino acids. J. Biotechnol. 86: 19-30. [0238] 4. R.
Sumrada and T. G. Cooper (1977). Allantoin transport in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae. J. Bacteriol. 131: 839-847.
[0239] While the invention has been described in detail with
reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to
one skilled in the art that various changes can be made, and
equivalents employed, without departing from the scope of the
invention. Each of the aforementioned documents is incorporated by
reference herein in its entirety.
Sequence CWU 1
1
7 1 1470 DNA microbacterium liquefaciens AJ3912 Inventor Shun'ichi,
Suzuki; Kenzo, Yokozeki; Peter J.F. Henderson CDS (1)..(1470)
hydantoin permease 1 atg tcg acg aca ccc atc gaa gag gct cgc agc
ctc ctg aac cca tcc 48 Met Ser Thr Thr Pro Ile Glu Glu Ala Arg Ser
Leu Leu Asn Pro Ser 1 5 10 15 aat gca ccc act cga tac gcc gag cgc
tcc gtc ggc ccg ttc tcc ctc 96 Asn Ala Pro Thr Arg Tyr Ala Glu Arg
Ser Val Gly Pro Phe Ser Leu 20 25 30 gcg gcc atc tgg ttc gcc atg
gcg atc cag gtg gcg atc ttc atc gcc 144 Ala Ala Ile Trp Phe Ala Met
Ala Ile Gln Val Ala Ile Phe Ile Ala 35 40 45 gcg gga cag atg acg
agc agc ttc cag gtc tgg cag gtg atc gtc gcc 192 Ala Gly Gln Met Thr
Ser Ser Phe Gln Val Trp Gln Val Ile Val Ala 50 55 60 atc gcc gca
ggc tgc acg atc gca gtg atc ctg ctc ttc ttc acc cag 240 Ile Ala Ala
Gly Cys Thr Ile Ala Val Ile Leu Leu Phe Phe Thr Gln 65 70 75 80 agc
gcg gcg atc cgc tgg ggc atc aac ttc acg gtc gcc gcg cgg atg 288 Ser
Ala Ala Ile Arg Trp Gly Ile Asn Phe Thr Val Ala Ala Arg Met 85 90
95 cct ttc ggc atc cgc gga tcg ctg atc ccg atc acc ctc aag gcc ctg
336 Pro Phe Gly Ile Arg Gly Ser Leu Ile Pro Ile Thr Leu Lys Ala Leu
100 105 110 ctc tcg ctg ttc tgg ttc ggc ttc cag acg tgg ctg ggc gcg
ctg gcg 384 Leu Ser Leu Phe Trp Phe Gly Phe Gln Thr Trp Leu Gly Ala
Leu Ala 115 120 125 ctc gat gag atc acg cgt ctc ctc acc gga ttc acg
aac ctg ccg ctg 432 Leu Asp Glu Ile Thr Arg Leu Leu Thr Gly Phe Thr
Asn Leu Pro Leu 130 135 140 tgg atc gtc atc ttc ggc gcg atc cag gtc
gtg acg acc ttc tac ggg 480 Trp Ile Val Ile Phe Gly Ala Ile Gln Val
Val Thr Thr Phe Tyr Gly 145 150 155 160 atc acg ttc atc cgc tgg atg
aac gtc ttc gcc tcg ccg gtg ctc ctc 528 Ile Thr Phe Ile Arg Trp Met
Asn Val Phe Ala Ser Pro Val Leu Leu 165 170 175 gcg atg ggc gtg tac
atg gtg tac ctg atg ctc gac ggc gcc gac gtg 576 Ala Met Gly Val Tyr
Met Val Tyr Leu Met Leu Asp Gly Ala Asp Val 180 185 190 agc ctc ggc
gag gtc atg tcg atg ggt ggc gag aac cct ggc atg ccg 624 Ser Leu Gly
Glu Val Met Ser Met Gly Gly Glu Asn Pro Gly Met Pro 195 200 205 ttc
tcg acc gcg atc atg atc ttc gtc ggc ggc tgg atc gcg gtc gtg 672 Phe
Ser Thr Ala Ile Met Ile Phe Val Gly Gly Trp Ile Ala Val Val 210 215
220 gtg agc atc cac gac atc gtg aag gag tgc aag gtc gac ccg aac gcg
720 Val Ser Ile His Asp Ile Val Lys Glu Cys Lys Val Asp Pro Asn Ala
225 230 235 240 tcg cga gaa ggt cag acg aag gcc gac gcg cga tac gcc
acg gcg cag 768 Ser Arg Glu Gly Gln Thr Lys Ala Asp Ala Arg Tyr Ala
Thr Ala Gln 245 250 255 tgg ctc ggc atg gtg ccg gca tcc atc atc ttc
gga ttc atc ggc gcc 816 Trp Leu Gly Met Val Pro Ala Ser Ile Ile Phe
Gly Phe Ile Gly Ala 260 265 270 gcc tcg atg gtg ctg gtg ggg gag tgg
aac ccg gtc atc gcc atc acc 864 Ala Ser Met Val Leu Val Gly Glu Trp
Asn Pro Val Ile Ala Ile Thr 275 280 285 gag gtg gtc ggc ggc gtg tcg
atc ccg atg gcg atc ctc ttc cag gtc 912 Glu Val Val Gly Gly Val Ser
Ile Pro Met Ala Ile Leu Phe Gln Val 290 295 300 ttc gtg ctg ctc gcc
acc tgg tcg acc aac ccc gca gcg aat ctc ctc 960 Phe Val Leu Leu Ala
Thr Trp Ser Thr Asn Pro Ala Ala Asn Leu Leu 305 310 315 320 tcg ccg
gcg tac acg ctg tgc agc acg ttc ccg cgg gtg ttc acg ttc 1008 Ser
Pro Ala Tyr Thr Leu Cys Ser Thr Phe Pro Arg Val Phe Thr Phe 325 330
335 aag acc ggt gtg atc gtc tcg gcg gtc gtc ggc ctg ctg atg atg ccg
1056 Lys Thr Gly Val Ile Val Ser Ala Val Val Gly Leu Leu Met Met
Pro 340 345 350 tgg cag ttc gcc ggc gtg ctc aac acc ttc ctg aac ctg
ctt gcg agt 1104 Trp Gln Phe Ala Gly Val Leu Asn Thr Phe Leu Asn
Leu Leu Ala Ser 355 360 365 gct ctc ggc ccg ctc gcg ggg atc atg atc
agc gac tac ttc ctc gtg 1152 Ala Leu Gly Pro Leu Ala Gly Ile Met
Ile Ser Asp Tyr Phe Leu Val 370 375 380 cgc cgt cgc cgc atc agc ctg
cat gac ctg tat cgg acc aag ggc atc 1200 Arg Arg Arg Arg Ile Ser
Leu His Asp Leu Tyr Arg Thr Lys Gly Ile 385 390 395 400 tac acg tac
tgg cga ggg gtc aac tgg gtc gca ctc gcg gtc tac gcg 1248 Tyr Thr
Tyr Trp Arg Gly Val Asn Trp Val Ala Leu Ala Val Tyr Ala 405 410 415
gtc gcg ctg gcg gtg tcg ttc ctc act ccg gac ctg atg ttc gtg acc
1296 Val Ala Leu Ala Val Ser Phe Leu Thr Pro Asp Leu Met Phe Val
Thr 420 425 430 ggc ctg atc gcc gcc ctt ctg ctg cac atc ccg gcg atg
cga tgg gtg 1344 Gly Leu Ile Ala Ala Leu Leu Leu His Ile Pro Ala
Met Arg Trp Val 435 440 445 gcg aag acc ttc ccg ctg ttc tcc gaa gcc
gag agc cgg aac gag gac 1392 Ala Lys Thr Phe Pro Leu Phe Ser Glu
Ala Glu Ser Arg Asn Glu Asp 450 455 460 tac ctg cga ccg atc ggc cct
gtg gcg ccg gcg gac gaa tca gcg act 1440 Tyr Leu Arg Pro Ile Gly
Pro Val Ala Pro Ala Asp Glu Ser Ala Thr 465 470 475 480 gcg aac acg
aag gag cag aac cag cga tga 1470 Ala Asn Thr Lys Glu Gln Asn Gln
Arg 485 2 489 PRT microbacterium liquefaciens AJ3912 2 Met Ser Thr
Thr Pro Ile Glu Glu Ala Arg Ser Leu Leu Asn Pro Ser 1 5 10 15 Asn
Ala Pro Thr Arg Tyr Ala Glu Arg Ser Val Gly Pro Phe Ser Leu 20 25
30 Ala Ala Ile Trp Phe Ala Met Ala Ile Gln Val Ala Ile Phe Ile Ala
35 40 45 Ala Gly Gln Met Thr Ser Ser Phe Gln Val Trp Gln Val Ile
Val Ala 50 55 60 Ile Ala Ala Gly Cys Thr Ile Ala Val Ile Leu Leu
Phe Phe Thr Gln 65 70 75 80 Ser Ala Ala Ile Arg Trp Gly Ile Asn Phe
Thr Val Ala Ala Arg Met 85 90 95 Pro Phe Gly Ile Arg Gly Ser Leu
Ile Pro Ile Thr Leu Lys Ala Leu 100 105 110 Leu Ser Leu Phe Trp Phe
Gly Phe Gln Thr Trp Leu Gly Ala Leu Ala 115 120 125 Leu Asp Glu Ile
Thr Arg Leu Leu Thr Gly Phe Thr Asn Leu Pro Leu 130 135 140 Trp Ile
Val Ile Phe Gly Ala Ile Gln Val Val Thr Thr Phe Tyr Gly 145 150 155
160 Ile Thr Phe Ile Arg Trp Met Asn Val Phe Ala Ser Pro Val Leu Leu
165 170 175 Ala Met Gly Val Tyr Met Val Tyr Leu Met Leu Asp Gly Ala
Asp Val 180 185 190 Ser Leu Gly Glu Val Met Ser Met Gly Gly Glu Asn
Pro Gly Met Pro 195 200 205 Phe Ser Thr Ala Ile Met Ile Phe Val Gly
Gly Trp Ile Ala Val Val 210 215 220 Val Ser Ile His Asp Ile Val Lys
Glu Cys Lys Val Asp Pro Asn Ala 225 230 235 240 Ser Arg Glu Gly Gln
Thr Lys Ala Asp Ala Arg Tyr Ala Thr Ala Gln 245 250 255 Trp Leu Gly
Met Val Pro Ala Ser Ile Ile Phe Gly Phe Ile Gly Ala 260 265 270 Ala
Ser Met Val Leu Val Gly Glu Trp Asn Pro Val Ile Ala Ile Thr 275 280
285 Glu Val Val Gly Gly Val Ser Ile Pro Met Ala Ile Leu Phe Gln Val
290 295 300 Phe Val Leu Leu Ala Thr Trp Ser Thr Asn Pro Ala Ala Asn
Leu Leu 305 310 315 320 Ser Pro Ala Tyr Thr Leu Cys Ser Thr Phe Pro
Arg Val Phe Thr Phe 325 330 335 Lys Thr Gly Val Ile Val Ser Ala Val
Val Gly Leu Leu Met Met Pro 340 345 350 Trp Gln Phe Ala Gly Val Leu
Asn Thr Phe Leu Asn Leu Leu Ala Ser 355 360 365 Ala Leu Gly Pro Leu
Ala Gly Ile Met Ile Ser Asp Tyr Phe Leu Val 370 375 380 Arg Arg Arg
Arg Ile Ser Leu His Asp Leu Tyr Arg Thr Lys Gly Ile 385 390 395 400
Tyr Thr Tyr Trp Arg Gly Val Asn Trp Val Ala Leu Ala Val Tyr Ala 405
410 415 Val Ala Leu Ala Val Ser Phe Leu Thr Pro Asp Leu Met Phe Val
Thr 420 425 430 Gly Leu Ile Ala Ala Leu Leu Leu His Ile Pro Ala Met
Arg Trp Val 435 440 445 Ala Lys Thr Phe Pro Leu Phe Ser Glu Ala Glu
Ser Arg Asn Glu Asp 450 455 460 Tyr Leu Arg Pro Ile Gly Pro Val Ala
Pro Ala Asp Glu Ser Ala Thr 465 470 475 480 Ala Asn Thr Lys Glu Gln
Asn Gln Arg 485 3 1506 DNA Artificial RGSH6 3 atg aat tcg aca ccc
atc gaa gag gct cgc agc ctc ctg aac cca tcc 48 Met Asn Ser Thr Pro
Ile Glu Glu Ala Arg Ser Leu Leu Asn Pro Ser 1 5 10 15 aat gca ccc
act cga tac gcc gag cgc tcc gtc ggc ccg ttc tcc ctc 96 Asn Ala Pro
Thr Arg Tyr Ala Glu Arg Ser Val Gly Pro Phe Ser Leu 20 25 30 gcg
gcc atc tgg ttc gcc atg gcg atc cag gtg gcg atc ttc atc gcc 144 Ala
Ala Ile Trp Phe Ala Met Ala Ile Gln Val Ala Ile Phe Ile Ala 35 40
45 gcg gga cag atg acg agc agc ttc cag gtc tgg cag gtg atc gtc gcc
192 Ala Gly Gln Met Thr Ser Ser Phe Gln Val Trp Gln Val Ile Val Ala
50 55 60 atc gcc gca ggc tgc acg atc gca gtg atc ctg ctc ttc ttc
acc cag 240 Ile Ala Ala Gly Cys Thr Ile Ala Val Ile Leu Leu Phe Phe
Thr Gln 65 70 75 80 agc gcg gcg atc cgc tgg ggc atc aac ttc acg gtc
gcc gcg cgg atg 288 Ser Ala Ala Ile Arg Trp Gly Ile Asn Phe Thr Val
Ala Ala Arg Met 85 90 95 cct ttc ggc atc cgc gga tcg ctg atc ccg
atc acc ctc aag gcc ctg 336 Pro Phe Gly Ile Arg Gly Ser Leu Ile Pro
Ile Thr Leu Lys Ala Leu 100 105 110 ctc tcg ctg ttc tgg ttc ggc ttc
cag acg tgg ctg ggc gcg ctg gcg 384 Leu Ser Leu Phe Trp Phe Gly Phe
Gln Thr Trp Leu Gly Ala Leu Ala 115 120 125 ctc gat gag atc acg cgt
ctc ctc acc gga ttc acg aac ctg ccg ctg 432 Leu Asp Glu Ile Thr Arg
Leu Leu Thr Gly Phe Thr Asn Leu Pro Leu 130 135 140 tgg atc gtc atc
ttc ggc gcg atc cag gtc gtg acg acc ttc tac ggg 480 Trp Ile Val Ile
Phe Gly Ala Ile Gln Val Val Thr Thr Phe Tyr Gly 145 150 155 160 atc
acg ttc atc cgc tgg atg aac gtc ttc gcc tcg ccg gtg ctc ctc 528 Ile
Thr Phe Ile Arg Trp Met Asn Val Phe Ala Ser Pro Val Leu Leu 165 170
175 gcg atg ggc gtg tac atg gtg tac ctg atg ctc gac ggc gcc gac gtg
576 Ala Met Gly Val Tyr Met Val Tyr Leu Met Leu Asp Gly Ala Asp Val
180 185 190 agc ctc ggc gag gtc atg tcg atg ggt ggc gag aac cct ggc
atg ccg 624 Ser Leu Gly Glu Val Met Ser Met Gly Gly Glu Asn Pro Gly
Met Pro 195 200 205 ttc tcg acc gcg atc atg atc ttc gtc ggc ggc tgg
atc gcg gtc gtg 672 Phe Ser Thr Ala Ile Met Ile Phe Val Gly Gly Trp
Ile Ala Val Val 210 215 220 gtg agc atc cac gac atc gtg aag gag tgc
aag gtc gac ccg aac gcg 720 Val Ser Ile His Asp Ile Val Lys Glu Cys
Lys Val Asp Pro Asn Ala 225 230 235 240 tcg cga gaa ggt cag acg aag
gcc gac gcg cga tac gcc acg gcg cag 768 Ser Arg Glu Gly Gln Thr Lys
Ala Asp Ala Arg Tyr Ala Thr Ala Gln 245 250 255 tgg ctc ggc atg gtg
ccg gca tcc atc atc ttc gga ttc atc ggc gcc 816 Trp Leu Gly Met Val
Pro Ala Ser Ile Ile Phe Gly Phe Ile Gly Ala 260 265 270 gcc tcg atg
gtg ctg gtg ggg gag tgg aac ccg gtc atc gcc atc acc 864 Ala Ser Met
Val Leu Val Gly Glu Trp Asn Pro Val Ile Ala Ile Thr 275 280 285 gag
gtg gtc ggc ggc gtg tcg atc ccg atg gcg atc ctc ttc cag gtc 912 Glu
Val Val Gly Gly Val Ser Ile Pro Met Ala Ile Leu Phe Gln Val 290 295
300 ttc gtg ctg ctc gcc acc tgg tcg acc aac ccc gca gcg aat ctc ctc
960 Phe Val Leu Leu Ala Thr Trp Ser Thr Asn Pro Ala Ala Asn Leu Leu
305 310 315 320 tcg ccg gcg tac acg ctg tgc agc acg ttc ccg cgg gtg
ttc acg ttc 1008 Ser Pro Ala Tyr Thr Leu Cys Ser Thr Phe Pro Arg
Val Phe Thr Phe 325 330 335 aag acc ggt gtg atc gtc tcg gcg gtc gtc
ggc ctg ctg atg atg ccg 1056 Lys Thr Gly Val Ile Val Ser Ala Val
Val Gly Leu Leu Met Met Pro 340 345 350 tgg cag ttc gcc ggc gtg ctc
aac acc ttc ctg aac ctg ctt gcg agt 1104 Trp Gln Phe Ala Gly Val
Leu Asn Thr Phe Leu Asn Leu Leu Ala Ser 355 360 365 gct ctc ggc ccg
ctc gcg ggg atc atg atc agc gac tac ttc ctc gtg 1152 Ala Leu Gly
Pro Leu Ala Gly Ile Met Ile Ser Asp Tyr Phe Leu Val 370 375 380 cgc
cgt cgc cgc atc agc ctg cat gac ctg tat cgg acc aag ggc atc 1200
Arg Arg Arg Arg Ile Ser Leu His Asp Leu Tyr Arg Thr Lys Gly Ile 385
390 395 400 tac acg tac tgg cga ggg gtc aac tgg gtc gca ctc gcg gtc
tac gcg 1248 Tyr Thr Tyr Trp Arg Gly Val Asn Trp Val Ala Leu Ala
Val Tyr Ala 405 410 415 gtc gcg ctg gcg gtg tcg ttc ctc act ccg gac
ctg atg ttc gtg acc 1296 Val Ala Leu Ala Val Ser Phe Leu Thr Pro
Asp Leu Met Phe Val Thr 420 425 430 ggc ctg atc gcc gcc ctt ctg ctg
cac atc ccg gcg atg cga tgg gtg 1344 Gly Leu Ile Ala Ala Leu Leu
Leu His Ile Pro Ala Met Arg Trp Val 435 440 445 gcg aag acc ttc ccg
ctg ttc tcc gaa gcc gag agc cgg aac gag gac 1392 Ala Lys Thr Phe
Pro Leu Phe Ser Glu Ala Glu Ser Arg Asn Glu Asp 450 455 460 tac ctg
cga ccg atc ggc cct gtg gcg ccg gcg gac gaa tca gcg act 1440 Tyr
Leu Arg Pro Ile Gly Pro Val Ala Pro Ala Asp Glu Ser Ala Thr 465 470
475 480 gcg aac acg aag gag cag aac cag cct gca ggc ggt cgt ggc agc
cac 1488 Ala Asn Thr Lys Glu Gln Asn Gln Pro Ala Gly Gly Arg Gly
Ser His 485 490 495 cat cac cac cac cat taa 1506 His His His His
His 500 4 501 PRT Artificial RGSH6 4 Met Asn Ser Thr Pro Ile Glu
Glu Ala Arg Ser Leu Leu Asn Pro Ser 1 5 10 15 Asn Ala Pro Thr Arg
Tyr Ala Glu Arg Ser Val Gly Pro Phe Ser Leu 20 25 30 Ala Ala Ile
Trp Phe Ala Met Ala Ile Gln Val Ala Ile Phe Ile Ala 35 40 45 Ala
Gly Gln Met Thr Ser Ser Phe Gln Val Trp Gln Val Ile Val Ala 50 55
60 Ile Ala Ala Gly Cys Thr Ile Ala Val Ile Leu Leu Phe Phe Thr Gln
65 70 75 80 Ser Ala Ala Ile Arg Trp Gly Ile Asn Phe Thr Val Ala Ala
Arg Met 85 90 95 Pro Phe Gly Ile Arg Gly Ser Leu Ile Pro Ile Thr
Leu Lys Ala Leu 100 105 110 Leu Ser Leu Phe Trp Phe Gly Phe Gln Thr
Trp Leu Gly Ala Leu Ala 115 120 125 Leu Asp Glu Ile Thr Arg Leu Leu
Thr Gly Phe Thr Asn Leu Pro Leu 130 135 140 Trp Ile Val Ile Phe Gly
Ala Ile Gln Val Val Thr Thr Phe Tyr Gly 145 150 155 160 Ile Thr Phe
Ile Arg Trp Met Asn Val Phe Ala Ser Pro Val Leu Leu 165 170 175 Ala
Met Gly Val Tyr Met Val Tyr Leu Met Leu Asp Gly Ala Asp Val 180 185
190 Ser Leu Gly Glu Val Met Ser Met Gly Gly Glu Asn Pro Gly Met Pro
195 200 205 Phe Ser Thr Ala Ile Met Ile Phe Val Gly Gly Trp Ile Ala
Val Val 210 215 220 Val Ser Ile His Asp Ile Val Lys Glu Cys Lys Val
Asp Pro Asn Ala 225 230 235 240 Ser Arg Glu Gly Gln Thr Lys Ala Asp
Ala Arg Tyr Ala Thr Ala Gln 245 250 255 Trp Leu Gly Met Val Pro Ala
Ser Ile Ile Phe Gly Phe Ile Gly Ala 260 265 270 Ala Ser Met Val Leu
Val Gly Glu Trp Asn Pro Val Ile Ala Ile Thr 275 280 285 Glu Val Val
Gly Gly Val Ser Ile Pro Met Ala Ile Leu Phe Gln Val 290 295 300 Phe
Val Leu Leu Ala Thr Trp Ser Thr Asn Pro Ala Ala Asn Leu Leu 305 310
315 320 Ser Pro Ala Tyr Thr Leu Cys Ser Thr Phe
Pro Arg Val Phe Thr Phe 325 330 335 Lys Thr Gly Val Ile Val Ser Ala
Val Val Gly Leu Leu Met Met Pro 340 345 350 Trp Gln Phe Ala Gly Val
Leu Asn Thr Phe Leu Asn Leu Leu Ala Ser 355 360 365 Ala Leu Gly Pro
Leu Ala Gly Ile Met Ile Ser Asp Tyr Phe Leu Val 370 375 380 Arg Arg
Arg Arg Ile Ser Leu His Asp Leu Tyr Arg Thr Lys Gly Ile 385 390 395
400 Tyr Thr Tyr Trp Arg Gly Val Asn Trp Val Ala Leu Ala Val Tyr Ala
405 410 415 Val Ala Leu Ala Val Ser Phe Leu Thr Pro Asp Leu Met Phe
Val Thr 420 425 430 Gly Leu Ile Ala Ala Leu Leu Leu His Ile Pro Ala
Met Arg Trp Val 435 440 445 Ala Lys Thr Phe Pro Leu Phe Ser Glu Ala
Glu Ser Arg Asn Glu Asp 450 455 460 Tyr Leu Arg Pro Ile Gly Pro Val
Ala Pro Ala Asp Glu Ser Ala Thr 465 470 475 480 Ala Asn Thr Lys Glu
Gln Asn Gln Pro Ala Gly Gly Arg Gly Ser His 485 490 495 His His His
His His 500 5 32 DNA Artificial pSHP11H-5' 5 cgtcaatgaa ttcgacaccc
atcgaagagg ct 32 6 33 DNA Artificial pSHP11H-3' 6 tccttctcct
gcagggtact gcttctcggt ggg 33 7 10 PRT Artificial MHPH6 N end 7 Met
Asn Ser Thr Pro Ile Glu Glu Ala Arg 1 5 10
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